: I got the "already in use by the maximum allowed computers" message and have deactivated and uninstalled Acrobat from my old machine. What do I do?

Forum|Forum|1 day ago
August 6, 2026
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: I got the "already in use by the maximum allowed computers" message and have deactivated and uninstalled Acrobat from my old machine and still get the same message.What do I do?

Correct answer Jeff_A_Wright

Thank you for posting, @abstract_Twilight7663.

I am sorry you are experiencing this activation issue.

I reviewed the registration and activation history for your license. I can see that this copy of Acrobat 11 for Windows was registered in March 2014 and that all available activations for the serial number have already been used.

Please review the following community announcement, which explains how activation limits work for non-subscription Adobe desktop applications and covers many of the common causes of this error:

Activation limit reached for non-subscription Adobe desktop applications

Based on the activation history, Acrobat 11 must be successfully deactivated on two previously activated computers before it can be activated on a new device. Uninstalling the software does not remove an activation. The deactivation must be completed from within Acrobat while the previous installation can still communicate with Adobe's activation servers.

You can find additional information on the deactivation process here:

I realize this is frustrating, especially after taking the time to uninstall Acrobat from the older computer. However, the activation records indicate that two successful deactivations are required before the software can be activated on another system.

Please let us know if you have any questions about the deactivation process or run into any additional errors, @abstract_Twilight7663.

A

abstract_Twilight7663Author

Participant

Legacy, Acrobat 11.

A

abstract_Twilight7663Author

Participant

When I followed the links, I found several options that I was never offered. Such as the “Sign me out of the other computers so I can sign in here” message. I was also directed to the “activated devices” web page which has shown “You have no activated devices” since before this headache started; and still does.

I do not understand why Acrobat 11 “must be successfully deactivated on two previously activated computers.” My recollection is that I installed it on two computers that died of a hard drive failure; no deactivation possible. I installed it on my old laptop which was deactivated by Adobe operating my computer remotely during this fiasco. If some history at Adobe specified I had to deactivate two computers, why would the agent deactivate the only working copy I had knowing it would not solve my problem, only exacerbate it. I would have kept the old laptop just to do the few Acrobat functions I still need but now that option is dead.

BTW the problem with the old laptop is the WiFi chip died and it had to be tethered to an Ethernet cable; which it was during deactivation but making it useless as a “portable” computer.

I feel that Adobe killed my last legitimate installation trying to get the install working on my new laptop so they should be responsible for correcting the install count to allow my current legitimate installation.

John T Smith

Community Expert

Showing activated devices is only for subscription programs, not serial number programs

Jeff_A_Wright

Correct answer

Community Manager